$25-$30 bucks an hour is peanuts!!
- page 3

Someone said nurses get good pay-$25-30 an hour???? In the pharmaceutical world, where they employ lots of nurses I would say for a senior person $40-55 and up is more the norm.
Why so pharmacists... Read More

Jun 2, '03

I think fergus makes a good point - it's easy for everyone to compare themselves to people in other professions (especially those that seem to require less education) and feel cheated. It's also easy to thinik that people who make more money than you have better and simpler lives. That's not necessarily true.

It's easy (and pretty shallow) to oversimplify someone else's profession (i.e., "All they do is <take your pick>..."). If you want respect for YOUR position/profession, you'd better give it to everyone else's. If being a pharmacist requires so few skills, why can't I got to a drug store and fill out an application to be one?

I don't think we should use money as a measure of how much we are (or are not) respected. Don't waste your time waiting for the rest of the world to respect you. Respect yourself and other people. I think we reap what we sow, and if we spent more time worried about GIVING respect, we'd probably get more - and we wouldn't be as angry about the respect we think we should be getting.

There will ALWAYS be people in other professions who make more money than you!!! I say, it's better to be SMART with what you make, than to make $100K a year but spend $125K. It doesn't matter how much you make, if you spend it all, you're still in a hole.

I agree with Carol -you can make a million dollars at just about anything, it's all a matter of how much of your time, life, energy, health, and sanity you're willing to give up. A lot of people have killed themselves making a lot of money, but they don't have much else to show for it.

Jun 2, '03

Wow--interesting thread, and interesting views. I read you guys comparing professions and salaries, and I immediately think about teachers--and their education requirements, continuing ed requirements, and their hideously low pay (not just nursing instructors--but educators in general) And if you want to go way overboard--compare those salaries to those in the entertainment industry or professional sports--you really have to quesiton what we value most!

Its been my experience that "administration" in it's infinite wisdom, when faced with morale problems (usually due to working conditions, staffing, or poor management) starts the "dealing with issue" by throwing a few more dollars on the table. The pay raise helps in the very short term, quiets the masses--but does really nothing to solve the problems.

The problems in nursing are numerous, not the least of which is low pay.

Just my 0.02

Jun 2, '03

Originally posted by Hellllllo Nurse Fergus, your post leads me to think you have never actually worked as a nurse. Am I mistaken?

Yes you are mistaken. I work full time as a nurse (have for a few years), and like I said, while it is challenging, I don't think it is the worst or most difficult job in the entire world. For every serisous complaint nurses have about their job (staffing ratios, long hours, OT, etc) I am sure other professions do as well. I am sure most cops making 40K a year aren't thrilled about their pay considering their complaints (threat of death, violence, OT, long hours, etc).

Last edit by fergus51 on Jun 2, '03

Jun 2, '03

The "difficulty" of the nursing position lies in what specialty area you work in. When I work nights in Psych, I don't give out one med, sit around and do chart checks, and get paid $42 bucks an hour. I do respect each profession. My point is maybe in Nursing $40K sounds pretty good, but in many other disciplines you start at that amount and your salary increases with your experience and position.
For example, I just called my old employer in Pharmaceutical and they quoted lower level jobs for me starting at $95K.
I agree, if work conditions are horrendous, then no amount of compensation is worth the aggravation!
I respect and value everyone's viewpoint who have contributed to this thread.
I will throw this out...If nurses are not complaining about making $40K, why should or would the employer pay more?

Jun 2, '03

Originally posted by oramar Don't want to upset you guys but my hubby is a plumber and makes $36.

Jun 2, '03

I was told by a senior nurse while I was in nursing school, "Go into plumbing, it's cleaner work". I just did fix my own bathtub drain, YUCK I disagree!

Jun 2, '03

I really don't think difficulty lies in the specialty area. Every area has its own pros and cons. I work L&D and NICU. They can be terribly stressful at times (don't even talk to me about acuity levels), but I certainly am not looking into psych because it's easy. If nursing is soooooooo hard you wouldn't be able to become a nurse in 2 years of school. With that type of investment the pay isn't terrible in most places I have worked.

Jun 6, '03

Although I know that most RNs do not make 20- 25.00 / per hr, they do make a pretty good wage when they first start working. However for instance, my husband is a licensed architect and has been in his field for over 17 years now. Years ago when he got his degree, architects only needed a B.S. Degree, but more recently architects must have a Masters Degree which is about 6 years of college after high school. And Architecture is a very difficult degree to get and it is very competittive as well. In order to get their license, they have to sit through several day grueling exams, and many architectural students have to take it many times before passing it and some never do, therefore they do not get licensed, and just go into similar fields. Today, my husband only makes around $ 25 dollars an hour and this has been the highest he has made from an employer and is the norm for someone with his experience in the states of SC, FL, NC. A few years ago, he was making $ 17 or $ 18.00 per hour as a Project Architect. Anyway, my point is that in actuality with all he has to do with dealing with all the multi-tasking of 15 projects at a time per day and regular headaches to boot, you would think he would make more too, with his education and the fact that people have always looked as architects as "professionals". Thank goodness, my hubby does side work as a residential architect and in some years has made more in his side jobs working out of our home, than the job he works at during the day, therefore he has done very well this way but should not have to work so hard to do it. Also, I abandoned the counseling field after being in it for 7 years and I have a B.S. in Psychology and Masters Degree in Counseling, and was only offered about $ 23,00 per yr to start. I quit because I really did not enjoy it and the pay really sucked and STILL does!
2 yr ADN RNs have always made considerably more than I did when I worked in the hospitals side by side with them, and yes, I know what they do because I worked on many different floors and have friends who still are nurses. So, sure everybody wants to make more money, but please do not think that the nursing profession is one of the main careers being dumped on because it is across the board and is very unfair. Personally, I think that compared to some other occupations, some nurses are very fortunate to being paid the $ 20 - 25,00 per hr. salary, because many other college grads and/or Masters Degree students cannot make near this, and yes their jobs are very important as well.

Jun 11, '03

I'm not a nurse (yet) but I went to school for two years for electronics and started out making $18.50 an hour and I got to go to 8 countries in 2 years. Now I travel in the states and make almost $23 an hour. Yeah that's great for a 23 year old right but I also pay half of that a year in rent. I am thinking that I can get paid pretty well as a nurse making 40K a year in a city where the cost of living is a lot less than here. And I agree with what was said before... managing your money correctly does make a difference. But hey if you all can get nurses more pay i'm all for it and you have my support.

Jun 11, '03

Originally posted by Tilleycs I think fergus makes a good point - it's easy for everyone to compare themselves to people in other professions (especially those that seem to require less education) and feel cheated. It's also easy to thinik that people who make more money than you have better and simpler lives. That's not necessarily true.

It's easy (and pretty shallow) to oversimplify someone else's profession (i.e., "All they do is <take your pick>..."). If you want respect for YOUR position/profession, you'd better give it to everyone else's. If being a pharmacist requires so few skills, why can't I got to a drug store and fill out an application to be one?

I don't think we should use money as a measure of how much we are (or are not) respected. Don't waste your time waiting for the rest of the world to respect you. Respect yourself and other people. I think we reap what we sow, and if we spent more time worried about GIVING respect, we'd probably get more - and we wouldn't be as angry about the respect we think we should be getting.

There will ALWAYS be people in other professions who make more money than you!!! I say, it's better to be SMART with what you make, than to make $100K a year but spend $125K. It doesn't matter how much you make, if you spend it all, you're still in a hole.

I agree with Carol -you can make a million dollars at just about anything, it's all a matter of how much of your time, life, energy, health, and sanity you're willing to give up. A lot of people have killed themselves making a lot of money, but they don't have much else to show for it.

BEAUTIFULLY said Tilleycs.

I especially like when you said, "Don't waste your time waiting for the rest of the world to respect you. Respect yourself and other people. I think we reap what we sow, and if we spent more time worried about GIVING respect, we'd probably get more - and we wouldn't be as angry about the respect we think we should be getting."

My example is our most recent celebration of Nurse's Week. There was an Ice Cream Social, small gifts, and daily specials intended to honor Nurses where I work. I felt, all in all, it was very well done. Imagine my suprise when I heard some Nurses criticizing how "little" was done and how "meager" the gifts were. Yet, these same Nurses basically turned their backs on my suggestion to offer a tribute to our CNA's during CNA Week. "Let them organize their own event." <head shake>

I'm proud of my Profession... proud of the work I do... proud of my education and proud of my contributions. Truly, entering Nursing was never about the "money" (although I will admit the fact that Nursing does offer job security did play a role in my decision) but rather, about pursuing a childhood dream in which I would be able to offer something of myself to Humankind... to give.

Just this Pollyanna's 2 cents

Last edit by Fgr8Out on Jun 11, '03

Jun 11, '03

I believe that nurses have a great deal of responsibilities and should fight for better wages, working conditions, schedules and patient load. I am giving up a job that required a few weeks of training and paid $37-45K per year, to go to nursing school. The 2 yr ADN program is very intense and condensed. What a nurse is required to know and practice deserves much more. The world I have been working in for the last ten years will show a person that the above salary does not go far. The cost of living has drastically increased, and the pay is not keeping up. Think of it from a single mother's point of view when she is the one responsible for paying all the bills, groceries and you name it. That pay barely keeps you above poverty and the welfare line, not to mention being able to save for a college education for the children. Just some food for thought.

Jun 12, '03

Originally posted by angel1971 I believe that nurses have a great deal of responsibilities and should fight for better wages, working conditions, schedules and patient load. I am giving up a job that required a few weeks of training and paid $37-45K per year, to go to nursing school. The 2 yr ADN program is very intense and condensed. What a nurse is required to know and practice deserves much more. The world I have been working in for the last ten years will show a person that the above salary does not go far. The cost of living has drastically increased, and the pay is not keeping up. Think of it from a single mother's point of view when she is the one responsible for paying all the bills, groceries and you name it. That pay barely keeps you above poverty and the welfare line, not to mention being able to save for a college education for the children. Just some food for thought.

And my point is that you generally have an idea of what you would be paid when you started school and had the choice to do it or not. There must be some reason that you are leaving your former job for Nursing.

Is the schooling tough? Sure, it is - just as architecture, engineering or science majors are. Does the scientist that invents new drugs, or the engineer that helps design cars or systems have a lot of responsibility - if those things breakdown/malfunction, many will die or be injured. Is the cost of living not going up for them also? Being a single mother does not entitle anyone to a better wage. And no one guarantees a college education for anyone's kids. While, we would love to provide all the wants of our children by doing conveniant work with easy hours and high pay, we live in a capitalistic society and we are guaranteed nothing. All of Us. Nurses do not have the corner on any of these issues.

PhePhe also works in PA, an area of the country with a much higher cost of living and therefore higher pay rates.

I would be perfectly happy with lower pay, if I had a job that had consistantly adequate staffing, and good management. This benefits Nursing and the Patient and the Business.

I have yet to find that, so I travel and I make more money for it.

You can make awesome money in Nursing. But if you can't travel/have small children at home/don't do overtime or holidays or nights/live in the South (lousy pay rates)/need more stability, as a general rule, your payrate will reflect it.

Last edit by caroladybelle on Jun 12, '03

Jun 12, '03

Caroladybelle, I see you live in the south - in GA, but you said the pay is bad in the south, but that you still make more money doing travel nursing? Do you mind telling us about what your annual salary is doing travel nursing and can you tell me what an average day is like doing your type job? I appreciate it.